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Premier League Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham

JAMES NALTON reports from Anfield

LATE drama at Anfield saw Tottenham Hotspur rescue a vital point against Liverpool. Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah battled it out at the apex of the Premier League top-scorers chart, while their sides fought to increase their chances of finishing in the top four.

Salah opened the scoring three minutes into the game, capitalising on a stray back pass from Eric Dier, and 80 minutes passed before substitute Victor Wanyama rifled a shot into the top corner from 25 yards out to equalise.

An eventful final period witnessed the awarding of two penalties and two injury-time goals. Loris Karius saved the first spot kick, making up for his foul on Kane which led to it.

Then in the first minute of injury time Salah had his manager sprinting down the touchline celebrating what he thought would be the winning goal. The Egyptian danced past Ben Davies and Jan Vertonghen before finishing coolly past Hugo Lloris and Jurgen Klopp looked as quick as his winger as he went off celebrating.

But in the final seconds Virgil van Dijk was adjudged by the linesman to have kicked Erik Lamela. The referee was happy to let play go on, but his assistant waved his flag.

“I am angry but obviously I cannot change it,” Klopp said of the decision. “If I say what I think I would pay the biggest fine in world football.”

Kane tucked in the penalty this time around to give his side a point with the last kick of the game.

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino believes the officials got the key decisions right, and praised their character for giving them in such circumstances. He also praised both sides for their contribution to an entertaining game.

“It was a fantastic performance, and a fantastic game. It’s so exciting to watch this type of game, and yes my team played so well,” he said.

“I congratulate [the referees] on showing the character that they showed. It’s true that in the moment it is difficult to know if they were right, but I looked [at replays] in the changing room after and it confirms they were right with every single decision.”

Aside from the penalty decisions Klopp was also pleased with what he saw.

“We caused them a lot of problems, scored an early goal, and put them under pressure, but Tottenham are a good side,” he said.

“At the end it was clear it would be a close result, and that’s what we got, and we have to accept it.”

Tottenham remain fifth and the point means Liverpool will stay in third unless Chelsea beat Watford by more than three goals.